The Roman Redress
by Cherry Burlesque
Summary: Nearly a year after the battle with the Red Death, and Berk has settled into an amicable peace with the dragons. Hiccup must now balance his life between his desires and his duties, and finds himself torn in the directions of love, filial piety and new knowledge that turns his world upside down, and with it comes a discovery that will forever change everyone's lives.
1. Chapter 1

_Howdy all, and welcome to this amazing project that AvannaK and I are collaborating on! She graciously gave me permission to turn the most incredible summary into a full fledged fanfic, and now I'm working with her to make it a reality. I surely do hope I'm doing it justice. Settle in and enjoy this ride, cuz it's gon be gud._

_Find me on tumblr under the same url as my FFNet handle! And leave us comments, reviews and feedback. We'd both love to hear what you think._

_The tumblr tags for this fic will be 'Project R' for general info regarding the fic, and 'Project R update' for chapter updates!_

_Without further ado, I give you:_

_**The Roman Redress.**_

**Arc One: **_Hirðmaðr and the Prospect of Goði._

**Chapter 1.**

* * *

"Today is all about _trust_."

A fleeting memory ran through the head of the trainer as he spoke-_today is all about ATTACK—_and it brought a small smile to his face, the irony of their current environment not lost on him.

Four young Vikings stood before him, each betraying varying degrees of nervousness.

"Listen up!" the man began, his voice sharp and commanding. "This is the first time we're going to put everything you've learned to practice, so remember what I taught you."

Beside him stood a very placid looking dragon. That may have had less to do with the calming presence of its rider than it did the fist full of skygrass currently wedged into its harness.

"A Gronkle is a tough dragon, and it _looks_ scary, but it will only take a soft touch to establish a bond. Who wants to go first?"

The youngsters visibly stiffened. Their eyes shifted, all determinedly looking away.

"I will," one boy finally, timidly spoke up. It earned him a smile from his teacher.

"Good on you, Gustov! Now remember what I taught you. Stay out of her blind spot, approach her calmly, and let her know that she can trust you. I'll be right here, okay?"

Gustov swallowed and took a few faltering steps forward. The students, being on the older side of the village children, still harbored some of the fear that had been drilled into them since birth. The fear that a dragon was a dangerous, deadly beast and should not be crossed with under any circumstance.

"Come on, you can do it," their instructor encouraged. "I'm right here, see?"

Gustov approached the Gronkle carefully, and after a few moments where it looked like he could either pass out or vomit (or both), his small hand finally made contact with the rough hide of the dragon. The Gronkle purred, pupils dilated with contentment.

The other kids all cheered. The dragon gave a small start. It was safely with its bulky, blond rider before any of the kids could properly react.

"That was great, Gustov!" he was praised. "Once Fishlegs gives Meatlug a bit of a rub down, the rest of you can try. And once we've mastered that, we can move on to the Terror and work on how to keep them happy. Terrors are—"

"Hiccup!"

The young trainer turned at the sound of his name, raising a hand in greeting. His expression, though, was a little miffed.

"Uh, Astrid, I'm kind of in the middle of class here—"

Astrid slid off the back of her Nadder and waved him off, trying to hide her smirk in front of the class of young Vikings.

"You've been holed up in here all day! You said we'd hang out before supper today, so I went to your house and your dad said you hadn't been home at all."

"We were _just _getting to putting the theory into practice, and Fishlegs and Meatlug were only free this afternoon—"

"It's okay," piped up a cheery voice from the other side of the purring Gronkle. Fishlegs' broad face popped up from behind Meatlug's snout. "I can take it from here anyway, Hiccup. You know what happens if you're late for a date with Astrid."

Hiccup winced in the memory of several painful (although not undeserved) hits to the shoulder he'd taken the last time he'd lost track of his day.

Astrid smirked and crossed her arms. With one eyebrow raised, she turned back to Hiccup, who visibly deflated under his lack of legs to stand on.

The children where snickering amongst themselves, whispering behind their hands as they watched the scene play out before them.

"Are you scared that I'll beat you again like I did yesterday?" Astrid taunted. Her expression was positively gleeful, and she smiled openly in what could almost be described as a leer. It made Hiccup bristle. He raised an accusing finger.

"That doesn't count. You cheated."

"It's not my fault that you don't think with your head when I'm around."

There was a loud titter from Fishlegs' general direction, and Hiccup blushed furiously. The children however, stared blankly, the innuendo lost to them.

"Astrid! There are _kids_ here!"

Astrid cocked a hip, arms still crossed.

"Want a rematch then? First one to Ravens Point gets to take complete control."

Fishlegs snickered again, causing Hiccup to turn a brilliant shade of vermillion.

"Hiccup, what is she talking about?" one of the girls, the youngest of the Thorston children, spoke up with wide, curious eyes.

"That's not what I teach here!" Hiccup sputtered, waving his hands furiously in an attempt to dispel the situation. "Fine, Astrid, you're on. Meet you at my place in ten."

Astrid grinned in victory and turned with a sway of her hips, making her way back over to Stormfly. She knew very well that he had a particular fascination with them, and enjoyed teasing him with it at every opportunity.

The choked sound from behind confirmed her success.

Hiccup waited until she had exited the Ring before turning back to the group. His face was still flushed and his mouth set as he cast a glance over the children.

"Alright gang, Fishlegs is going to take over today to save me from being beaten to death by an impatient demoness. Well done, Gustov. Tomorrow—."

Fishlegs interrupted with a pointed clearing of his throat, and gestured for Hiccup to get moving.

"Right, uh. Okay, see you tomorrow, guys!"

And he dashed out of the ring with an outbreak of snickers and giggles to follow in his wake.

In the months since the integration of dragons and humans, Berk had changed dramatically. Any visitor to the region would have been floored with stunned incredulity at the way life on the island had altered with the new peace. Dragons now lived harmoniously as pets, friends and workers, almost as much citizens of the island village as the Vikings. It hadn't been easy at first; many of the older villagers had the fear of seven generations of warfare still embedded in their blood, but with time, education, and endless patience, many of them had become receptive to the new world. Instead of killing dragons as a sign of coming of age, young Vikings were now able to travel to Dragon Island (where many wild dragons had taken up seasonal residence after the destruction of the Red Death) to choose a dragon of their own. The beasts became treasured members of families, and without the endless fear of attack, the Vikings had settled into a much more relaxed lifestyle.

Hiccup had struggled to adjust to his new fame at first. He wasn't used to the attention of the members of his tribe, let alone their respect and need for his guidance. He had spent a long time disappearing on flights with Toothless just to escape the incessant scrutiny. Eventually though, when things had settled around him, he began to grow accustomed to it.

The same couldn't really be said for his new status as an amputee. Once upon a time it was seen as a symbol of glory; of battles fought hard and heroically won. To him though, it was a reminder of everything he had nearly lost. He'd had to learn to walk again, to trust his body and not let his still exceedingly, self-depreciating mind run away with him.

That was where Astrid had made her biggest impact.

She kept her distance, initially. Hiccup needed time to himself to adjust to everything that was happening, and she figured that her presence would put him off. But after she'd witnessed him spend three straight days and nights in the forge working on his prosthetic with barely any sleep, she had decided to intervene.

With a combination of tough love and tender encouragement, she'd shown Hiccup that life didn't have to stop because of his injuries. It tested her patience on many occasions, but she felt she owed it to him. He had once showed her a world she had never dreamed of, flying amongst the stars as though they were toeing the line of Midgard and Asgard itself, and so she decided it was her turn to show him the same.

Over time, their bond had strengthened. His confidence slowly grew as he healed from his emotional and physical wounds, and her patience and tolerance for things she was unaccustomed to had grown with it. They spent many afternoons and evenings flying together-sometimes both on Toothless, sometimes with both dragons. Hiccup had built her a custom saddle for Stormfly that was so comfortable she had told him she could have slept on it. Hiccup had beamed for hours afterwards.

It was on one of those long flights together that they shared their first private, intimate moment. Both understood that, unless they asked for a marriage contract, they could never be considered as officially courting. Neither cared. For all intents and purposes, Hiccup and Astrid were together, and the village knew it.

Fishlegs and Hiccup had both taken the helm of the Dragon Training Academy, and with the help of their peers, they began teaching Vikings both old and young to communicate to their dragon comrades. It had worked well. The dragons learned to trust a little easier and to work with the humans as much as their wild natures allowed. In turn, the humans had learned to appreciate the individual personalities of what could very easily be described as other _people_.

Yes, Berk was very much almost unrecognizable from what it had been only ten moons prior. But it was certainly a better place.

xxx

"You cheated again."

"Did not."

"Did so."

"Did not."

"Did…mmmgh—"

Hiccup's half sulky accusation was cut off as Astrid kissed him, and for the life of him, he couldn't muster up the interest to keep being mad at her. Cheap tricks, using the knowledge of what her body did to him against him.

They'd been flying amicably for a while before Astrid called the race. Like lighting, Toothless had shot off, showing off his speed and agility while the Nadder lagged somewhat. Hiccup had been grinning like a maniac; gleeful that he was going to be able to do _whatever he wanted _once they landed at Ravens Point.

He'd turned to give her a smug grin, and that's when he'd lost it.

Astrid had hitched up her skirt, something she claimed 'made riding easier' (yeah, like Hel it did), and he was greeted with the curve of her legs and hips as she straddled Stormfly. It had the desired effect.

Hiccup had started, and the motion threw off the angle of the pedal. With their balance compromised, both of them had dropped like a stone for a good hundred feet or so, before shakily regaining flight. Toothless made his indignance very clear, smacking Hiccup first across the jaw with an ear (one of his more classic expressions of irritation), and then purposely cuffing him with the spans of one wing. They'd picked up speed again, shooting off towards their landing place, but the momentum was lost along with their speed.

By the time they'd landed, Astrid was leaning against Stormfly, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Her skirt was back in place.

"Cheap," Hiccup griped, dismounting from Toothless. "That was cheap."

Astrid's smile sharpened and she shoved off from her perch, meeting Hiccup halfway.

"A win is a win. I get to call the shots tonight."

Hiccup caught her wrist as she reached out for him and narrowed his eyes.

"I really don't think you should—hey! _Oof!_"

Not one to be deterred, Astrid countered his objection in a quick body throw that left Hiccup with his back in the dirt and Astrid with a leg on either side of his hips.

"It's not my fault you let your rugged Viking manliness take over when you see something you like," she said, beaming beamed down at him from her position.

She kept him pinned on the cool grass, elbows holding his upper arms down while using her body weight to keep him flat. One of her favourite positions.

"Yeah but it _is _your fault when you decide to use it to threaten me and Toothless with imminent death."

She snorted, and leaned down to kiss him again, effectively shutting him up.

The first time she'd kissed Hiccup had been a spur of the moment thing, fueled by adrenaline and utter relief that he was awake. She'd been quietly embarrassed for days afterwards.

When their relationship had gone from unfamiliar to comfortable, the embarrassment disappeared. Now, she quite enjoyed kissing him. No matter the setting.

It was a little bit weird at first. Neither of them really knew what they were doing, and Hiccup's big teeth coupled with her instinct to just do everything roughly left them both with fat lips on occasion.

Now though…

Well, now they had learned each other.

Her kisses were languid and lazy, soaking in the warmth he gave her and the closeness of their position. His hands usually had an uncanny habit of sliding up her thigh to rest on her hip, but when they were pinned as they were, he tended to let her take control.

Something she loved above everything else.

Breaking their kiss, she moved to his jaw line, running her nose along the sharp planes. She hovered over him just so; enough to keep him agonizing for contact.

"Astrid…" He choked out, arching his neck so she could mouth along the heated skin.

"Hmm?" She hummed with a grin, pulling back just a little so she could see his desperate, pleading eyes.

"You're torturing me."

"Yup," she agreed cheerfully, lowering her hips a little before rising just as he attempted to press them together.

Hiccup released an agonized groan, letting his head flop back with a dull thud in the grass.

"Please stop torturing me."

"Nope, rules of the game, remember?"

"You cheated!"

She laughed and moved back a little so he could sit up. Hiccup wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close so he could devour her lips with his own.

With deft fingers, Astrid slipped a hand behind her and started fiddling with his leg. She kept him distracted with her free hand, running it along the planes of his narrow shoulders and chest, and it wasn't until his prosthetic came free did he notice.

She gave him an evil grin, holding the leg triumphantly as he spluttered out a protest, shoving him back down while she tossed it out of reach.

"I need that!"

"Not right now, you don't."

And then she stood.

Hiccup sat up, eyes wide as she took a step back. Framed in the moonlight, her skin shone like alabaster, hair glowing with soft speckles of light.

Trying to hide her nervousness, she swallowed and pulled her shirt over her head, discarding it beside Hiccup's abandoned prosthetic. She couldn't help but laugh at his choked half-moan, half-sigh, and she shuffled forward again to kneel over him.

His hands were warm as they traced the curve of her waist, tentatively mapping out the planes of her skin. Her breast band was still in place, and he made no move to take it off, which suited her fine. She didn't think she was quite ready for that.

"Your turn," Astrid almost whispered, and reached down to grip the hem of his tunic.

His hands shot out, blocking her movement, and she gave him a quizzical look.

"I…uh. Don't think you want to…"

"I've seen you without your top on before."

"But that was before…"

He swallowed, the rest of the sentence left unsaid.

Astrid sighed, drawing on the will to be patient as she sensed another round of his unneeded self-consciousness.

"Hiccup," she murmured, leaning in to kiss his neck, "I don't care," a kiss to his jaw, "about your scars…" the curve of his chin. "I thought you knew that."

She placed a soft kiss to his lips, and felt him give a shaky exhale.

"I know, but there's…a lot of them."

"I don't care."

"I do."

Astrid silently drew in a breath and closed her eyes, counting to ten. When she opened them, she could see him staring at her like a sheep caught in lantern light eating the winter stock of hay.

"Can I see…just for a minute?"

Hiccup swallowed again, and looked away. For a moment Astrid thought he was going to refuse, until she saw him give a weak nod.

He was stiff as a board as she lifted his tunic over his head, and before she leaned back to take him in, she leaned forward to give him a reassuring kiss.

"It's okay," she breathed against his lips. And then she leaned back.

In the moonlight, the scars looked almost silvery. They weren't the marks of swordfight or warfare. And unlike the scars from the burns on his arms from the forge, these stretched across his midsection like blotched, angry birthmarks.

Astrid held her breath, and ran her hand along a burn that stretched from below his armpit down to his hip, and smiled sadly.

Of course, everyone had known that Hiccup had been quite badly burned from his fight with the Red Death. It was also common knowledge that the missing limb was a result of Toothless's desperate attempt to save his life. But she hadn't quite realized the extent of them. On his front, they seemed like wrapping, traveling scars, as though the burn had moved and enveloped his body from behind. She knew that if he were to turn over, the damage would be much more profound.

She could feel Hiccup tremble beneath her, and with a soft hand, she reached forward and traced a botched line of scarring from his shoulder down across his chest.

"Hiccup," she murmured. Her free hand cupping his face, but she didn't know how to continue from there. So instead, she leaned forward and kissed the same scar on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around him.

He was shivering almost violently, and she rubbed his back in an attempt to soothe him. It didn't really work.

"I know that these must cause you a lot of pain," she said, though she really had no idea if that was the truth or not. "But you have to trust me when I say that _I don't care_. I don't care that they mark your skin, and I don't care that they even exist. Just like I don't care about your leg. You're still _you_."

Hiccup released a breath in a soft _whoosh_, and pulled her close to press their foreheads together. He felt like something lodged in his throat, and he tried to swallow it down.

"They're so…ugly," he whispered, and he felt Astrid's hand brush the hair out of his eyes.

"_I_ don't think so," she countered. "They remind me of what you did for us-how you saved our lives. I think they're… you're…beautiful."

It felt weird saying it. Astrid, as a general rule, didn't spout tender, sappy things like that. But once again she reminded herself that being blunt and forceful with Hiccup wouldn't work. Not with this.

Besides, they were alone. She could let her guard down a little.

Just a little.

Her musings were interrupted as both of Hiccup's hands cradled her face, and she allowed him to kiss her fiercely. She returned it with equal fervor, embracing him tightly as their skin finally came into contact. He still quavered, but was warm, and she smiled between kisses, gently moving so she could settle her lithe frame above his, flat atop him.

"Thank you," he finally said quietly, before sealing their mouths once more.

Xxx

It was well past late by the time Hiccup got home. He had spent the remaining hours with Astrid in total bliss. They ventured further than ever before, and the resulting glow was visible in the way Hiccup bounced happily through the door with Toothless in tow. The sounds she'd made; he grinned idiotically just thinking of it. Soft hums, whispers of his name on her lips as his hands roamed her body. The way she shuddered beneath him when he had touched her _just right_…

"What are you looking at?" Hiccup snarked at Toothless, whose wide green eyes were dilated with amusement.

Toothless whuffled, nudged Hiccup's leg with his snout, and gave his smug, coughing laugh. If he'd been speaking in a language Hiccup could understand, he'd be saying nothing but _'you sly dog, you!_'

Hiccup felt his face burn up. He gave the dragon a light shove before moving around the little den to collect some food. In the heat of the moment, he and Astrid had forgotten to eat, so he was pretty much starving.

"Son."

Hiccup froze.

Normally when Stoick was up this late at night it was a sign that _something was very wrong_. That or he had to take a leak in the middle of his otherwise undisturbed sleep.

But when Hiccup turned with a grin, choking out a "hi, Dad! Hi! Heh, Hiya…" he could clearly see the regular armored attire the chief donned when in public. Stoick hadn't gone to bed, which could only mean one thing. He'd been waiting for Hiccup to get home.

_Oh Gods this is it. I'm dead. Goodbye cruel world._

"Dad, what are you doing up? Don't you have an address tomorrow? I thought you needed your beauty sleep for it. Y'know, can't go standing in front of the entire village looking like a man who can't get a good nights rest, am I right? I mean, what will the villagers think if they see their chief with tired eyes and a mood that pretty much says he tossed and—"

"Hiccup."

The youth clamped his mouth shut, well aware that he was babbling. It was the biggest giveaway that he was hiding something, he'd learned, and it usually grated on everyone's patience.

"Why are you returning home this late?" Stoick moved into the soft firelight, his bulky frame taking up most of the space in their tiny common room.

"I uh…was out. Coast guarding."

"Coast guarding?" The very tone of his fathers voice screamedthat he wasn't buying it.

"Yeah, you know, making sure those mangy pirates don't pilfer the shores of all that…rugged…sand." He sighed, shoulders dropping. Yeah, he messed that one up. "I was out flying with Toothless."

Stoick ran his fingers exasperatedly through his hair, before folding his arms again and peering at his son with a critical eye.

"You're getting later and later every time you go flying."

"I have? Huh, hadn't noticed."

"I know."

There was silence, wherein both Haddocks stood awkwardly, neither really keen in initiating conversation; Stoick because he knew his son wouldn't like what he had to say, and Hiccup because he really just wanted to get some sleep. And eat.

"Look, Hiccup—"

"I think I should—"

There was an awkward pause as they both stopped at the same time. Hiccup, out of habit, gestured for his father to continue.

Stoick sighed, running his hand through his mane of shaggy hair.

"Son, I know you want to spend as much time as possible with the dragon-"

Hiccup groaned, knowing a lecture was coming.

"Dad, can't this wait until morning?"

"No, Hiccup. We need to talk about this now."

Hiccup sighed, and Stoick continued.

"Like it or not, you're approaching an age where you should be ready to take over leadership of the village. If things had been…different…" he swallowed at the mild reference to former mistreatments of his son, "I'd have begun teaching you sooner. But the truth is, you can't keep throwing away your responsibilities now that things have settled."

"I don't throw away responsibilities! The Academy—"

"—Comes second," Stoick interrupted, holding up a hand to silence his son. "You have capable friends who can take command of the Academy from here. Tomorrow, I want you to join me at the tribal address. It's time you learned how to be a chief."

Hiccup felt an icy weight settle in his stomach. Tribal addresses lasted most of the day. They were the once-a-cycle gatherings of villagers who had opportunities to voice their concerns to their chief about everything from the weather to foreign affairs.

And gods, Hiccup hated them.

"But Dad—"

"No buts!" Stoick interrupted again, his expression set in a way that said there will be no negotiations. It made Hiccup think of the night nearly four seasons prior, when a very similar conversation had taken place.

"You will join me at the address, and begin your training to become the next leader of the village. Now…sleep well. We must be up early tomorrow."

Hiccup's shoulders slumped, and he stared glumly at the floor in front of him.

"Alright."

Stoick nodded, and with a clear of his throat, he bid Hiccup goodnight and returned to his chamber.

It took Hiccup a minute to process what was happening. He stared bitterly at the fire for a while, his appetite gone, before a low whine from Toothless drew him out of his reverie.

Together, they ascended the stairs to the loft, where Hiccup shucked his fur vest and boots, and Toothless climbed onto his platform. The spark of fire barely registered with Hiccup; he'd become so used to Toothless's preference for fire nests that he didn't even turn around as he made his way over to his pallet.

"This is going to be so boring," he whined, earning him a questioning purr from the dragon. "I hate addresses. I used to have to be there when I was a kid. It's just people complaining about how their crops aren't growing fast enough, or asking why their yaks aren't producing milk. IT used to be villagers complaining that dragons had snatched their sheep up. At least _that_ was interesting. Now it's just…"

He trailed off, flopping down onto the bed.

"It's going to go on and on, and Dad will probably expect me to come up with some fantastic solution like he always does."

Hiccup lay staring up at the roof for a while, silently stewing over his situation. Why couldn't he wait a few more seasons? It wasn't like Stoick was incapable, or would become incapable soon. He just wanted to enjoy the time he had. He wanted to explore, find new worlds, and bring new knowledge back that could help the Hooligans when he took over. He wanted to spend time with Toothless and Astrid, and nurture the Dragon Academy. He wanted to have a family first!

Damn it. It wasn't fair.

An impatient noise from Toothless's direction told him the dragon was watching his sulk session.

"Yeah, yeah… glad I can always leave it to you to tell me to stop being so dramatic," Hiccup said wryly, sitting up to fumble with the straps that held his prosthetic in place.

He paused, a stubborn frown on his face.

"Taking up this training…it's going to mean I have less _time_," he said quietly. "I won't see Astrid at all tomorrow…and flying with you will be… limited."

Hiccup swallowed as Toothless cocked an ear, pupils constricting. Clearly, the dragon didn't like the idea of less flying time.

"See what this is gonna cost, bud? I knew all along that I'd have to start some day. I just wish it wasn't so soon."

With a heavy sigh, Hiccup finished removing his prosthetic and set to work on his nightly routine of caring for the remaining part of his leg. It tended to get sore if he spent a long time on his feet, and a good massage usually fixed most of the problem.

Once he'd done that, Hiccup blew out the candle and bid Toothless goodnight. He pulled the rough spun blanket up over his head and the room quieted.

Toothless pretended to ignore the hitched breathing coming from his rider's direction. When Hiccup cried, it meant there was an ache in his heart that the dragon couldn't fix, and letting Hiccup know that he was aware of it usually only made the boy volatile with embarrassment.

Eventually, true silence settled, and Toothless was able to doze.

Hiccup didn't sleep much that night.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: I got an overwhelming response to the first chapter of this, which blew me away. You guys are amazing! _

_I've discovered that the 'project r' tag on tumblr is occupied by something else, so i'm changing the fic tags to 'rored' and 'rored update'. follow those tags if you want to find things from Avanna or myself, or if you want to post things you want us to see. I'm going to tentatively make a weekly schedule for this thus far, but I'm about 60% certain that will change in the future. Either way, updates will be as regular as possible._

_As always, enjoy and review :)_

* * *

When one wishes, with all of their being, to be _anywhere_ but where they are, the smallest of details can become the greatest interest.

Such as the grain of the pine used to build impressive looking chairs. It just looked… _fascinating-_little rivulets of porous wood branching out into a variety of colours; subtle patterns of knots that the tree that sired it once held. Even the marks of the carpenter's handiwork lodged in a chip here, maybe a bit of over-sanding there. The way the arms of the chair were somewhat smoother with wear, and small stains littered the woodwork from spilled food, mead or a spark of flame.

Man, chairs were interesting.

"Hiccup."

And what about the trees that made them! They spent years and years growing from nothing but a tiny seed into the biggest, most impressively suitable tree in the forest. Only to become a seat for humans.

"_Hiccup._"

Did trees feel pain when they were cut down? If a tree could scream, what sound would it make?

"HICCUP!"

The culprit jumped, snapped out of his reverie on the interesting dynamics of trees when a thoroughly irritated voice broke through it. He blinked, staring dazedly at the villagers before him and then turned to his left, where his father sat. The look Stoick gave him wasn't a very happy one.

"Uh, sorry, must have drifted off," he said sheepishly. It was met with exasperated murmurs from those in the room. "What did you ask, Dad?"

"I asked you what you think we should do about the Nightmare that keeps setting crops on fire."

Hiccup furrowed a brow. "Why is it setting crops on fire again?"

This time, the groan from the villagers was much more pronounced, and Hiccup felt his face go a little red with embarrassment.

"That's what we're asking you, Son," Stoick replied, the strain of patience in his voice a little more obvious than he'd like.

"Oh…" Hiccup cleared his throat. "Uh…"

He tried to collect his thoughts, thoroughly scattered after his brief lapse in concentration.

"Well, Nightmares don't usually flame up unless they're startled or threatened. Is there anything in your field that might do that?"

The villager, an elderly gent named Biôrn, spoke up.

"Aye, well I have a dummy made of straw that I pegged up to keep the crows out."

Hiccup nodded pensively. "Anything else?"

"I dinnae, lad. It started not long after I put the dummy up. Soon it'll be too late for me to sow if I don't get the beast under control."

Hiccup rubbed his chin, nodding again.

"Alright. Maybe it's spooked by the dummy. Try taking that down tonight after you sow, and we'll see if it works."

"But what if it doesn't?" Stoick added. "This late in the season? If the dragon destroys the new crop, Biôrn won't have anything to harvest come the freeze."

Hiccup frowned. This was exactly the kind of pressure he hated having on his shoulders. A farmer's livelihood rested on his decision, and if it was a failure the entire village would be short on supplies for the winter.

He sighed heavily.

"We'll keep the dragon at the Academy until you're ready to harvest. It's not something I like to do because they need to be able to socialize, but if we can't be sure that it wont burn the crops again then it's the only choice."

Stoick nodded, approving of his sons decision.

He reiterated the instructions to Biôrn, who tottered off with mumbled thanks.

One satisfied villager down…

"Next!" Stoick called, and Phlegma stepped forward.

Hiccup gave an internal groan. Phlegma, while a fierce and capable warrior, always had some kind of medial complaint that could be fixed with simple common sense. She was a shieldmaiden first, and everything else came second. Usually the latter came after she was given basic instruction that any half-wit could come up with.

His sour expression must have showed on his face, because Hiccup was jolted by a swift kick in the leg of the chair he was sitting on. He glowered up at his father, before turning back to face her.

"Chief Stoick," Phlegma greeted, giving a customary bow that was quickly waved off as unnecessary. "I'm seeking advice fer me young'uns," she said, hands on her hips.

"I'll give what I can," Stoick responded.

"Aye, as you always do." She paused, perhaps in thought, and continued when prompted by a hand gesture from the chief. "Me eldest girl has just come of age, at a mere twelve summers. She gets these terrible pains when she bleeds and—"

"Do we really need the gory details?" Hiccup muttered under his breath, and both Phlegma and Stoick fixed him with a warning glare. He fell silent again, picking at a splinter in his chair.

"I dunnae how to help the lass," Phlegma finished. She gazed up at them with a furrowed brow.

"I'm not well learned in a lady's matter, Phlegma," Stoick said, clearly uncomfortable with the topic at hand. It was one of the rare occasions when the fearless chief looked utterly bewildered, and Hiccup couldn't help the grin that found its way onto his face.

"Aye, sir," the shieldmaiden responded. "I was still hopin' perchance ye had some advice."

"Take her to the Elder," Hiccup said in a way that said 'obvious!'. "Gothi would be able to help ease her pain and give her some advice."

There was the slightest pause, when Stoick nodded sagely.

"That sounds like the best course of action. Let us know how the lass fares."

Phlegma nodded, and by the time she had turned to leave Stoick had already called for the next villager.

xxx

Come the break for the midday meal, and Hiccup was thoroughly irritable. He'd contributed less and less as the morning wore on, only speaking when prompted by his father. The rest of his time was spent daydreaming about new, improved designs for Toothless's prosthetic, and what Astrid would look like without her clothes on.

Common thoughts for a teenage viking.

Now, with only the prospect of the rest of the afternoon to look forward to, Hiccup found himself dangerously close to acting on his desire to sneak off and go flying with Toothless.

He sat with a baleful expression on the steps leading into the Mead Hall, a slice of bread and cheese sitting untouched on his lap.

"Hey, mister Big Time," a familiar, very welcome voice called.

Hiccup glanced up and gave Astrid a half smile, half grimace.

"So have you solved the all problems of the world yet?" she asked. She sat comfortably next to him and nicked the cheese from his lap.

"No," Hiccup replied glumly. "Unless you count telling a farmer to take the boulders off of his porch so the Gronkles stop flocking, or Phlegma trying to figure out what to do about her daughters monthly bleeds as 'the problems of the world'."

Astrid's face screwed up in distaste.

"That's all they want?"

"Pretty much."

"Seems hardly worth it." She picked at a scab on the back of her hand as Hiccup sighed heavily.

"You're telling me."

They fell silent for a while, enjoying the small warmth of the sunlight and each other's company.

"So," Astrid spoke up after a time, "what time do you want to meet to go flying?"

Hiccup groaned, letting his head flop forward onto his hands.

"I'll be keeping step with my father right up to and past sundown," he said, leaning away a little in anticipation of the punch he expected to land.

"_Past_ sundown?" Astrid replied incredulously. "So that means we won't get to meet up today at all?"

"Outside of right now, probably not." He gave her an apologetic shrug of his shoulders. "Dad's decided it's high time I start 'properly training to take over'."

He expected Astrid to be upset, or at least disappointed that they wouldn't get to spend time together. He expected maybe a punch on the shoulder and to be made to swear that he'd make it up to her.

He didn't expect her to perk up and practically launch herself at him in excitement.

"Really? That's great!" She beamed at him, hands clasped together under her chin.

"Really?" Hiccup parroted in thick sarcasm, "because it doesn't feel all that great."

"Oh lighten up!"-_There_ was the punch to the arm-"It's great news! Means Stoick is finally giving you the chance to prove yourself like you always wanted!"

"I thought I already did that," said Hiccup coolly.

"You know what I mean," Astrid waved off. "Come on, it's a good opportunity to learn! You'll have to tell me all about it when I see you next."

Hiccup frowned down at his hands, feeling frustrated that she wasn't sulking along with him. Traitor.

"I have less time to spend with Toothless."

"He'll get over it," Astrid waved another dismissive hand. "He understands, doesn't he?"

"He probably does, but that doesn't mean he likes it. Nor do I."

They fell silent again, and this time it was slightly tenser.

Still picking at the uneaten piece of bread, Hiccup felt for the first time in a long time that he was trapped. It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

"Hiccup—"

Astrid had turned to say something to him, but was interrupted when Stoick burst through the door of the Great Hall.

"Alright son, time for the rounds. Oh, hello Astrid."

Astrid smiled up at Stoick and stood to place her hands on her hips.

"Hiccup was just telling me about his great new opportunity," she said. The emphasis on _'great' _made Hiccup scowl again, and he pulled a strip of crust from the bread, tossing it away for birds and Terrors to fight over.

"Aye, though he's still got the attention of a sparrow," Stoick said. There was a chuckle in his voice, but Hiccup still picked up on the thinly veiled irritation that lingered there.

Astrid laughed along with him, making Hiccup feel all the more like the size of a pinhead. He tossed the rest of the bread away and stood, fixing his father with a straight, even look.

"We've got rounds, Dad," he said flatly. "Not gonna learn much sitting here talking about my shortcomings, are we?"

"Right, uh…" Stoick paused, and then straightened. "Alright. We'll be off. See you later Astrid."

Astrid had easily picked up on Hiccup's irritation, but showed nothing of it. She shoved them off with a smile, hiding her frustration at his sullen response to his title.

xxx

The afternoon dragged, just as Hiccup feared it would. Hour after hour felt like an eternity as Hiccup followed his father through the village. They stopped here and there, checking in on workers and inquiring about the wellbeing of those too busy or otherwise unable to attend the morning's counsel. Every so often he was asked his opinion, which he gave without further prompting. At the very least, he cooperated with his father's wishes and paid attention where attention was required.

He tried to enjoy himself. He really did. He wanted to be the capable leader everyone expected him to become, but all he found was discontentment at the prospect of doing this same routine for the rest of his life.

Down at the piers, Hiccup stood silently by his father's side, attempting to pay attention to the words of a trader who had stopped by the village for a brief visit. There was talk of tension in the far south, but it was distant enough that Stoick seemed to take only mild concern. The group of men turned the topic of discussion to more menial things, such as the quality of the ironware the trader brought, and the nature of the season.

Despite his honest effort to remain invested in the conversation, Hiccup felt his attention waning. He shifted restlessly on his mismatched feet, eyes wandering across the vast expanse of ocean.

_One day,_ he thought to himself, _I'm going to find out what's on the other side of that horizon._

Restless shuffling turned to daydreaming, where he imagined himself flying far and wide with Toothless, discovering unimaginable things and returning to the village with new knowledge to share, and ways to better their living. He imagined the accolades he'd receive by it, the way the villagers would finally respect him not for what his lineage instilled on him, but for his own deeds. _Hiccup the Wise_, they'd call him, and his portrait would hang in the Mead Hall among those of his forefathers, finally earning its spot there.

Stoick noticed in a quick flick of his eyes that his son's mind had run away again. It irritated him to a point where he grit his teeth, but said nothing. He'd learned the hard way that berating Hiccup publicly would, far from hardening his resolve as Stoick had once hoped, only cause him to withdraw more, leaving nothing but bitterness and tension.

So he remained silent, returning to the conversation at hand while Hiccup's remained absent.

What snapped the young Viking out of his reverie though, wasn't a stern word from his father as he'd half-expected. It was a light tug on the loose cloth of his pants. Looking down, he grinned at the wide-eyed Terror, bending down to scratch it idly behind its crown. The tiny dragon trilled in contentment, before it gave a mischievous hum and darted off behind a post.

Hiccup felt a small snicker bubble in his throat, and followed the dragon in a façade of sneaking. When he popped his head around the post, the Terror warbled and darted off again, this time to hide behind a barrel on the deck of the pier.

This time, Hiccup openly sniggered, and slipped off with exaggerated footsteps to once more startle the playful dragon into another hiding spot.

Stoick's eyes narrowed beneath their bushy brows as his son wandered off. This was neither the time nor the place for a childish game of Hide and Seek. Still, he held his tongue, not wishing to humiliate Hiccup in front of hardened fisherman.

Eventually though, they started to notice, and Stoick decided it was time to call it a day.

"Men, see to it that the trader is taken care of this evening," he instructed. "I have some things that need attending to."

Stoick heard their chuckles as he turned his back, but didn't let his embarrassment at his son's antics break his stony demeanor. He strode past Hiccup without a word, but didn't head towards their house. Instead, he made a beeline for the blacksmith's shop, where Gobber's loud, cheerful tunes were heard echoing across the village square.

Hiccup paused in his game with the Terror, and only then noticed the muted chortles of the men his father had just parted company with. He frowned at them, knowing he was the current butt of their jokes, and then turned away.

"C'mon, buddy," he said to the dragon now coiling its way around his left leg. "Let's go find your friends."

Hiccup picked the dragon up and let it hang limp in his arms the way most Terrors seemed to, and trudged back up the wooden stairwell away from the docks. Once there, he let some squealing toddlers take the purring dragon and wandered back to the Hall for supper.

If his friends noticed his sullen silence at dinner, they didn't show it. Unbeknownst to Hiccup, Fishlegs had long since informed the gang that when he sunk into one of his moods it was best to leave him be, with the reasoning that there was a plus-twelve chance he'd snap out of it sooner than should they indulge him.

While the other teens bantered among one another, Astrid also remained quiet, eating her mutton and choosing to watch rather than engage. She had certainly noticed Hiccup's attitude, and had a mind to pull him aside later to question him on it. She never got the chance, however. Hiccup excused himself sooner than expected, leaving his meal mostly untouched on the table.

Fishlegs and Tuffnut quickly fought over it once he was gone.

xxx

If he had any intention of sneaking quietly into his loft, Hiccup quickly learned that it wasn't going to happen. Upon entering the house, he saw the bulky outline of his father at the table, glaring into the fire. Stoick turned and fixed that glare on Hiccup as he shut the door, effectively cutting off any stealth attempt he might have made.

"We need to talk."

"Where have I heard that before?" Hiccup countered wryly.

Stoick shook his head, indicating this was not the time for wit, and motioned for Hiccup to sit down opposite him.

He remained standing.

Stoick heaved a sigh, drinking from the large, wooden pint in his bearlike hands.

Hiccup waited.

"Son," Stoick began, staring at the table in front of him, "I don't think you realize the importance of what I'm trying to teach you."

"Course I do," Hiccup replied with a shrug. He moved over to the fire and sat in front of it, rubbing the knee of his left leg. "I have to learn all the exciting things that come with being the next chief." His tone was flippant, but his body betrayed how he really felt, expression souring in the light of the fire.

"It may not all be exciting, Hiccup. But it's something that must be taken seriously."

"And there it is," he muttered under his breath.

"There is what?"

"The whole problem here." Hiccup squared his shoulders and scowled at his father; an expression that looked very wrong on him. "You think I'm not serious enough. That I don't care about the things I have to know."

"That's not—"

"Yes it is," Hiccup cut him off. "Even after everything I've done, I'm still not serious enough to be Stoick the Vast's 'next in line'. Everyone knows it, they just don't say it."

Silence greeted his words, and Hiccup looked away. His body sagged. He rubbed his forehead tiredly.

"Son—"

"Don't, Dad," again, Hiccup cut him off, his tone one of defeat and bitterness. "I get it. I have this entire obligation to the village. None of my aspirations matter."

"Your aspirations?"

"Yes, Dad. The things I want to do before I become chief. It's not like you're going to keel over in the next three days. I had plans that I wanted to act on. Bring new things to the villagers to make their lives better."

Stoick felt an itch of sympathy for his embittered son, but kept it at bay. Didn't everyone have those dreams? He himself had forsaken his own when he had come of age. Hiccup was no different.

"Sometimes things don't work out as planned," Stoick grunted, drowning the rest of his drink and letting the mug hit the table with a thunk. "Sometimes duty is more important than playing hide and seek."

Hiccup's face reddened and he grit his teeth.

For a time, there was tense silence; the elephant in the room remained unspoken. Hiccup didn't want to become chief just yet. They both knew it as plain as they knew the sun rose and set each morning and night. Still, the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. Hiccup had to _learn_.

"What would you have me do, Hiccup?" Stoick spoke eventually. "Let you run away with your whims without care of the people here? Keep you sheltered from your obligations until you see fit?"

More silence greeted these words, before Hiccup finally spoke up in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I just want to see the world."

A hard bang rattled the room, loud enough to startle Toothless into a screech in the loft upstairs. Hiccup stared wide-eyed at the crack Stoick's fist had left in the table, before his gaze shifted to the towering form of his father.

For the first time in a long time, Hiccup was afraid of the man before him.

"You'll do nothin' of the sort, you hear?" Stoick all but spat, making Hiccup cringe away from his anger. "What'll be left if you get yourself killed out there? That's nothin' but a fools dream outside of the Archipelagoes, Hiccup, and I won't hear of it again."

Hiccup swallowed, his brows knitted together in a mixture of fear and resentment.

Stoick sighed heavily, relaxing the fist to lay it flat on the table. Feeling quietly ashamed of letting his temper get the better of him, he picked up the mug that had clattered to the floor and set it back on the table.

"You're to continue accompanying me as I see fit," he said, tone relaying that there was no room for negotiation. "It's time you learned how to be a leader, and not a slave to your own whimsy. Starting at the next Thing. You'll make an official address in my stead. Got that?"

Hiccup turned away. His face was hidden by the shadows the fire cast across it, but his body language spoke volumes of the utter dismay he was feeling.

Without a word, he nodded once.

"Good."

Neither Stoick nor Hiccup said anything else as the chief left the room. Hiccup remained.

Soon, he lost track of how long he sat brooding at the fire. He knew it was selfish of him to try and rebel to seek out his own desires, and part of him resented himself for it. His rational mind had long since accepted the fact that, sooner or later, his obligations would catch up with him and he'd have to start growing up.

But his irrational mind wouldn't listen. It spoke in indignance to the very idea that, at just sixteen summers, he would have to start shouldering the responsibilities and expectations far above his perceived level of competence. It made him bitter, something he'd thought he'd shucked when he met Toothless. Apparently, that bitterness still lingered in his heart, lying dormant until some other difficult situation arose.

Eventually, Toothless managed to drag Hiccup upstairs to his pallet. The dragon, knowing Hiccup was downstairs, had stomped, whined and barked until Hiccup had no choice but to trudge upstairs to the loft to shut him up lest he wake Stoick.

Needless to say, he slept little. No more than the night before.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: Wheeezes. There were parts of this chapter that I had real trouble with, so everyone make sure you thank the fabulous creator (The Antic Repartee) for keeping me on my toes and making sure I don't mangle my writing._

_EDIT: sneaks back in here, bumps the rating up and then slithers out._

* * *

Over the next few days Hiccup trailed his father like a shadow, trying hard to pay attention to what he was supposed to be learning. Stoick gave him credit where it was due; he knew his son was less than ecstatic about the new tasks being handed to him, but he still took them on regardless and tried his best to satisfy. It usually came in the form of a smile here and there, a nod of approval or a compliment. On one occasion, when they had returned from their daily duties, Stoick had one of the women in the village brew up some of Hiccup's favourite stew and served it for dinner.

Hiccup appreciated it. He knew his father was still trying to figure out how to let him know that he approved after spending so long telling him just how much he didn't, so he was genuinely happy to know that his efforts weren't going unappreciated.

Toothless, however, was barely paying him a passing glance.

Hiccup felt horribly guilty that he couldn't take him out for a ride as much as he liked. By the end of each day he was so exhausted that he usually just ate and went to sleep. He'd be willing to get up early in the mornings to fly with him if he didn't have to be up at dawn anyway.

No number of fresh fish could sway Toothless from his disgruntled attitude, and Hiccup was beginning to consider remaking the tail mechanism he'd made at Snoggletog so Toothless could fly on his own. The only issue with that idea was finding time to go to the forge and actually build it.

Suffice to say, Hiccup was feeling more than overwhelmed with his responsibilities, and sorely wished he could just take some time to himself.

He'd handed the responsibility of the Dragon Academy over to Fishlegs, who took to the task with absolute gusto. It made Hiccup feel a bit better knowing that the Academy wasn't going to fall apart. Fishlegs, while not a strong leader when it came down to it, was able to share his knowledge with the young children of the village in a way that excited them, and kept them from losing interest without Hiccup there to share his experiences with them.

The relief eased some of the pressure on Hiccup's shoulders, and he stopped fretting about the Academy to focus on the things he had to do.

One of those, which to Hiccup was perhaps the most daunting, was learning to give a dignified address to a grouping of foreign Vikings whom he didn't know.

* * *

"You're slouching again, Hiccup."

"I can't help it though. I keep trying to stand up straight, but when I do I lose all concentration on what I'm supposed to be saying."

Stoick sighed, rubbing his forehead as he tried to figure out how to be a decent educator.

"Your posture and body language are just as important as what you're saying. You know how to lead. I've seen you do it in the Academy myself."

"I know, Dad, but I'm not used to being in this kind of situation. Throw me a rogue dragon and I'll tell everyone how to deal with it easily, but this is completely different. And besides, I'm usually talking to kids when I'm giving speeches, not violent, terrifying Vikings."

Stoick couldn't help but chuckle Hiccup's tone, and nodded in acquiescence.

Hiccup rolled his shoulders and tried to focus on standing up straight. He puffed his chest out, earning him another snicker from his father, before giving up on that idea. He scratched the back of his head and tried to come up with a way to ease his nerves.

"Don't worry about it right now," Stoick said idly, causing Hiccup to glance up at him in surprise.

"Don't worry about it? Are you sure you haven't had too much mead, Dad?"

Stoick laughed, brushing aside the comment.

"Look, son, I know you're trying your best. I've put a lot of pressure on you and you're working hard. So why don't you take a break?"

Hiccup stared for a second, not quite sure whether to believe Stoick or not. His bewildered look was met with a warm smile, and he felt his own lips pulling upward.

"Thanks Dad."

Stoick just nodded and stood to leave the house.

Hiccup watched him go, and then, almost giddy with glee, bounded up the stairs to his loft to collect his riding tack and rucksack.

Rushing around the house, he threw bits and pieces into the rucksack in preparation for a long afternoon of flying. When he surmised that there was enough food, Hiccup practically bounced around to the back of the house where Toothless was sunning himself.

"Hey, bud! Guess who got the afternoon off?"

He was met with a squinted yellow eye before Toothless huffed and turned away.

Hiccup's shoulders slumped. "Come on, Toothless. I've missed you too, and we finally get to go for a proper flight! Don't you want to get going as soon as we can instead of stalling so you can play _indifferent_?"

A tail fin whipped out and smacked Hiccup upside the head, causing him to yelp in surprise.

He sighed and dropped the gear beside his dragon, moving to sit by Toothless's head. Toothless had one, slitted eye trained on Hiccup as he moved. He made a noise of contempt when the boy sat down.

Hiccup slouched forward in his seat and leveled Toothless a baleful look.

"Come on, bud. I told you I couldn't help it that I can't take you flying as much as I want. But this is the only time I have spare for who-knows-how-long. I really wanna make it up to you."

Toothless huffed, but he turned his head a little and his ears pricked. At least he was listening, Hiccup thought.

"Tell you what, we can go wherever you want, how about that? And I'll even bring some of your favourite cod."

Finally, Toothless stretched out and extended his tail to indicate he agreed. Hiccup grinned and scratched him lightly behind his ear, before moving back over to the bundle of tack.

Within minutes, Toothless was saddled and eager for flight. Hiccup climbed on his back and hooked his foot into the pedal stirrup, doing one last check to make sure everything was in place.

"Alright, bud. Let's go!"

Toothless took off at an almost vertical leap, wings expanding to their fullest. Hiccup whooped in delight as the wind rushed by, eyes trained on the clouds above. They gained height fast, wind howling around them like a familiar caress.

Gods, he'd missed this. It had only been a few days, but it felt like an eternity. The exhilaration of being so high, cheating death at every twist and turn, had Hiccup laughing with elation. Toothless was clearly just as thrilled. His tongue hung out the side of his mouth in a gummy grin as he let out an overjoyed shriek into the air.

Hiccup paid little attention to where they were going. He was far too happy to be flying again to really care. He leaned forward to see the open water beneath them, eyes slanted against the wind. A stupid grin was fixed on his face as Toothless glided through the sky, and he gave the dragon a quick scratch on his shoulder.

Without prompt or warning, Toothless took a dive. Once upon a time this would have startled Hiccup, but now he stood in the stirrups and leaned forward, feeling his stomach lurch with the speed at which they lost height. He wasn't concerned in the slightest; he simply let Toothless do as he wished while they were flying.

The water rushed up at an alarming speed, visible white caps on the small waves beckoning them downwards.

Toothless pulled out of the dive with barely a foot between his claws and the water, letting his wings skim the surface as he rolled to and fro. Sea water sprayed into Hiccup's face, mingling with the tears caused by the cold wind, and he sat upright in the saddle with his arms outstretched. A blissful smile fixed itself on his face and he let his head fall back, eyes closing as he took in the freedom he felt when he was soaring through the air.

All the pressure of his duties on the island melted away while Toothless zigzagged, rolled and climbed through the air. He felt no worries, nothing that made him stressed or bitter. None of it was important as long as he was up here with his friend.

They flew around the island for what felt like hours, and eventually Toothless needed to land for a breather. Hiccup dismounted when they touched down, and he laughed at the way Toothless's gummy smile seemed permanently fixed on his face.

"I had fun too, buddy!" Hiccup said, giving Toothless a good rub down. "How about I catch you some of that fresh cod I promised?"

Toothless purred in response, and Hiccup mimicked it while he rummaged around in his rucksack, pulling out a reel and some bait.

They weren't far from the cove, really. But the fish in there weren't all that great thanks to the stagnant water they lived in, so Hiccup picked his way to the low cliff edge and tossed his reel in.

He anchored it to the ground with a stick and lay back, closing his eyes at the blissful peace he felt.

Toothless was rolling around nearby, apparently just as blissed out about the wondrous flight as Hiccup was.

After about half an hour, Hiccup had managed to catch three decent sized cod and a haddock, which he tossed to Toothless with a grin. He wasn't very hungry himself, but he made good on his promise and continued catching fish and handing them over without complaint, grinning all the while. Toothless devoured them with gusto.

It was nearing sunset when he finally pulled in the reel, considering taking one more flight around the island. The longer he was able to fly with Toothless today, maybe the less annoyed he'd be at Hiccup when he inevitably returned to his duties the next morning.

"Hiccup!"

The unexpected voice caused him to jump out of his thoughts, and he glanced up to see Astrid descending to land beside him on Stormfly.

"Hey Astrid. What brings you here?"

"Heard you had some time off, so I thought I'd come find you."

"Yeah, Dad gave me the afternoon off. We spent the whole time flying just about, didn't we Toothless?"

Toothless pricked his ears and purred his funny little purr, before he stomped over to Stormfly to give her some grief.

Astrid slipped off of Stormfly's back and stretched. She gave Hiccup a cocky grin.

"So, how's it all going?"

"Oh man," Hiccup breathed. "It was great! Just what I needed. We flew for hours; I can't even count how long. Toothless did this cool thing where he—"

"I'm taking about your training," Astrid said, still smiling as she gave Hiccup a playful shove.

Hiccup tried not to let his smile fall off his face, but he wouldn't have been surprised if his expression changed. He swallowed and bent down to fiddle through his rucksack again, reorganizing everything in it despite the fact he'd already done so.

"Yeah, it's fine," he said offhandedly, inspecting the fishing hook closely for signs of wear.

"Just fine?"

"Well yeah, I mean it's tough, and it isn't much fun, but I'm doing it."

Astrid crouched beside him and blew her bangs out of her eyes, looking out towards the horizon.

"I'm really happy that you're doing this," she said in a soft voice. It was a voice she only ever used when she and Hiccup were alone. Those times were the only times where she allowed herself to be somewhat vulnerable, because Hiccup put her at ease. She never had to be the fearless, bright young woman that the rest of the village saw, because she knew that Hiccup wouldn't judge her for it.

She felt safe.

Hiccup gave her half a grin, and tucked the fishing hook back in the satchel before standing with a stretch.

"Well, I guess I can't hang around too much longer. Duty calls, y'know?"

His tone was lighthearted, but his eyes told of the underlying frustration. Astrid stood up with him, and glanced over at their dragons.

"You still have a little time, don't you?" She asked quietly, and Hiccup fixed his eyes on her.

"Well…yeah, I guess."

Astrid grinned widely, and in the next moment launched herself at Hiccup, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"Good, because I've missed you, and I want some quality time with you before you go back."

"Quality time?" Hiccup's voice raised an octave, hearing the coy tone Astrid used.

She smiled up at him, and pulled him down by the back of his neck so she could solidly kiss him.

Kissing Hiccup was always fun. It usually started the same way as it did now. He would stumble a little, shocked, every single time, that she kissed him so easily, before gradually relaxing into it.

His arms came to rest on her hips, his head slightly slanted. Their eyes closed as they lost themselves in the sensations.

Astrid pulled him closer. Their bodies pressed. Her lips parted with a soft sigh; she felt Hiccup do the same and their tongues mingling shyly. Warmth trailed down her spine as Astrid deepened the kiss, and she found herself moving, pushing him gently backwards until he tripped on his satchel.

They both went tumbling to the ground, a tangle of limbs and laughter. Hiccup swore and kicked his satchel out of the way. Astrid wasted no time moving so she was against him once more.

Hiccup's brain took a prompt exit, stage left, when she pulled herself on top of him, and he forgot about everything but how much he needed to kiss her again. He did—meeting her halfway in crashing mouths and gripped clothing. It felt urgent; messy and uncoordinated, as though they would get very little time in the future to indulge in their own personal desires.

His hands traced their way up and down her slender waist, memorizing every curve of her body. The feeling left her breathless and him eager to hear the noises the touch elicited from her.

No matter how many times they'd done this in the past, Hiccup was always astounded that she would be willing to share this with him. He never questioned it; too worried that she'd come to her senses if he said anything. Instead, he continued to touch her as long as she allowed him.

Hiccup's changes of attitude amused Astrid. Sometimes he'd be bold, take the lead and not worry about anything but making her cry out in ecstasy. Other times he'd be more tentative; treating her bare skin like fragile glass he needed permission to touch.

It was in those times that she took control.

This was one of those times.

"Hiccup," Astrid breathed against him, feeling his hands come to rest lightly on her hips. "What's wrong?"

She felt him shift beneath her, and she paused, glancing down at him. She couldn't help but smile at the bright crimson shade his face had turned. She reached up and combed her fingers through the thick mop of bronze atop his head.

"Are you scared I'm going to bite your fingers again?"

Hiccup huffed, and his fingers pressed a little harder into her hips. "No, I'm not scared of anything. Nothing is frightening to a man as rugged and fierce as me."

"Except for your girlfriend," Astrid countered, smiling widely.

He blew some of his hair off of his forehead and grinned toothily back.

"Yeah, okay. Except for my girlfriend. She's terrifying."

Astrid laughed and scooted up his waist, her fingers making purchase in his sides. Hiccup wheezed out his laughter as she began to tickle, squirming and flailing in an attempt to make her stop.

"Yes! I…am…the most…fearsome…of Vikings!" Astrid laughed as she moved with him, unrelenting in her onslaught.

"No—please!"

Hiccup's face was beet red, breath wheezing out in gasps. Eventually he managed to catch her wrists and stop her, still laughing along with her as he tried to catch his breath and calm his racing heart. It felt good to be able to relax with her for a while, to forget about his responsibilities for just an evening. He wanted to make it last, to extend the serenity for as long as he could.

He stilled and Astrid remained where she was, with her legs on either side of his hips and her wrists still gripped within Hiccup's hands. He sat up, and as his hold on her relaxed, she moved her fingers to lace with his.

Astrid bent her neck and gently let her forehead rest against Hiccup's. She felt him breathe out a sigh.

"I want to stay here," he murmured in a low voice, and Astrid's lips twitched.

"On the cliffs? It might be hard to build a house up here."

Hiccup snorted at her jest. Their eyes met, both smiling quietly.

There was no resounding, emotional dance as their lips met; no thrills of adoration that transcended description. Both Hiccup and Astrid had long since become comfortable with one another that by that time their kisses were as second nature as hugging. Her hands went to his shoulders; his to her waist. Once more, their lips parted against one another and their tongues met, languid, soft and easy. Her breath was hot on his mouth, and he felt her teeth nip lightly at his bottom lip. In Hiccup's mind, this was _contentment_. A treasure. A retreat. No longer something he would go to pieces over, as he did in the beginning. His hands wandered as his mouth worked, smoothing over the curves of her body. She arched against him and his breath came short.

He suddenly wanted more. He wanted to be with her like this for as long as he could, to avoid having to go back to the real world and resume real world responsibilities. He could sense her shared desire, and he snaked his arms around her to pull her closer.

Astrid hummed as she felt their bodies warm against one another, still engaged in heated kissing. She pushed at Hiccup's chest until he rested fully on his back. He showed no sign of acknowledging the position change; his hands never faltered, nor did his tongue.

With both elbows propped on either side of his head, Astrid drew back just enough to bump noses. Their breath came in heavy, quick puffs and their heaving chests rubbed together.

Hiccup's eyes were closed, cheeks flushed as he basked in her warmth, and Astrid curled her fingers lightly through his thick tresses, smiling at the goofy expression on his face.

"What are you thinking?" she asked. She let her head rest in the crook of his neck, dropping her weight on him like he was a slim, bony cot.

"That I want to stay like this."

Astrid smiled, tracing her fingers along Hiccup's narrow chest. She could hear his heart pounding hard through the fabric of his shirt, and silently congratulated herself. It was always a nice ego boost, knowing the effect she had on him.

With a quiet laugh, she turned her head just so to kiss the prickly flesh beneath his jaw. On hearing Hiccup's surprised intake of breath, she perked a little gave him a quizzical look.

"That…" Hiccup's voice cracked a little, and he cleared his throat. "Do that again."

Grinning, Astrid complied, ducking her head to kiss the space again, earning her another soft gasp.

"Feel good, does it?" she mouthed against his skin, and she felt, rather than saw, Hiccup nod his head vigorously.

"Yeah…really good."

So she did it again. And again. Two quick pecks.

She felt his arms tighten around her, and snickered quietly against his skin. On the fifth time, she let her teeth pull on the flesh, sucking lightly.

The effect was immediate.

Hiccup gave a long, drawn out groan, and suddenly reached out to stop her. Confused, Astrid sat up and squinted at him, noting the sudden bashfulness of his body language.

"Was that wrong?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. Oh, she knew for certain that it was, in fact, very, very right, but it was always fun to play innocent. Then Hiccup had to explain things to her, and when it came to things related to intimacy, it was almost too hilarious.

"No," Hiccup breathed, sitting up to rub at his face. "It wasn't."

"So why did you stop me?"

Hiccup stiffened and shook his head. "It's nothing. Don't worry. Why don't we head back now?"

Astrid put a hand on his shoulder and forced him back down, hovering over him again with a cocky grin on her face.

"I don't want to. I want to know why you stopped me."

"You know why, Astrid," Hiccup replied in a frustrated tone, but he didn't elaborate.

When Astrid remained silent, he groaned and tried to hide his face.

"Because it makes me…feel… too good."

"'Too good', how?"

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"Yup." Astrid smiled a wide, taunting smile that made Hiccup huff.

"It feels good…when you do that." Hiccup's eyes suddenly glinted, and he reached to pull Astrid down. She wasn't expecting that, and her hand slipped. Hiccup used the momentum to roll them so he was hovering over.

Astrid smacked his arm, but Hiccup just laughed.

"You didn't answer my question," She said sulkily.

"I'll show you."

She froze as Hiccup suddenly moved, and she felt his lips against her collarbone. It was one of her favourite spots to be kissed, but this time Hiccup mimicked her action, sucking on the skin in the same manner she had for him.

Her spine suddenly felt like it was on fire. Warmth shot through her midsection, making her arch her back a little in surprise, and the gasp that followed made Hiccup laugh softly against her.

"See what I mean?" He said, kissing her once more.

Astrid groaned, wrapping her arms around him tightly, wanting him to continue.

But immediately after she'd done so, Hiccup pulled back, leaning over her.

"Keep going."

He shook his head, and Astrid huffed.

"Why not?"

"Because if I do…I'm gonna…" He cleared his throat, and this time Astrid was genuinely confused.

"Gonna what?"

"Not want to stop."

"So don't stop."

Hiccup pulled away from her altogether then, and sat up with a sigh, rubbing his forehead with the heel of his hand.

"It's not that easy. I get all…frustrated, and want to keep going. Further than that."

Astrid's eyes widened a little in realization. He wanted her like… as a…

They were silent for a second, before Astrid scooted closer to him.

She felt a little giddy, as though she were off balance on the edge of an outcrop. There were butterflies in her stomach as she leaned closer to him, slipping her arms around his waist.

"You can," she breathed in his ear, and she felt him jump, but she kept her hold on him.

"What?" Astrid had to laugh at how high pitched Hiccup's voice had become, and she leaned in to butt her forehead lightly against his temple.

"You can…you know. Go further."

"I don't think—"

"I want to too."

Hiccup stared at her with wide eyes, unsure if she were speaking in the moment or if she had given this some serious thought in the past. His mouth opened and closed, voice lodged in his throat as he tried to reorganize his foggy thoughts.

"Astrid I—"

She tugged his face around to kiss him, pulling him down so he was once more on top of her. She could feel his hesitation in the stiffness of his body, but he gradually loosened as the kiss continued.

She felt hot. Hot and in need of…_something_. She kissed him harder, in search of it.

Sure, Astrid had heard the women's stories; the older ladies all liked to share their gossip with one another on bath days. She'd even been present for ritual baths of future wives before their weddings. She got more than one version of the Birds and the Bees. She used those stories and thought of Hiccup in her private moments. She thought of going further, of turning those thoughts into reality-_so many times_-but occasion rarely presented itself.

She could wait and follow the traditional motions—she had no problems with that—but if an opportunity such as this arose…

Astrid paused when Hiccup pressed his body closer to hers, and felt the hardness in against her thigh. She broke the kiss, only to give him an incredulous grin.

"Is that your…thing?"

Hiccup couldn't help it. The way Astrid had sounded when she asked that, it was almost comical. Such girlish mystery coming from a hardened warrior like her sounded absolutely ridiculous, and he collapsed into a fit of nervous giggles against her.

"Stop that!" Astrid smacked his arm, making him wince, but he continued to silently shake with laughter. "Well? Is it?"

Hiccup nodded, fist stuffed in his mouth as he tried to choke the laughter bubbling in his chest. It was Astrid's turn to flush; annoyed by the fact that he thought she was funny.

_I'll show you._

Hiccup's laughter cut short, as though gagged, and his entire body tensed with shock. Astrid's hand had slipped between them and now rested against the strain in his pants.

"Astrid, what—" his protest was cut off with a heavy exhale as she moved her fingers lightly against him. His head dropped forward against her shoulder, and he could feel her own silent laughter shake through her shoulders.

"Cheap shot," he grumbled, but it withered into a groan as she explored.

Astrid was fascinated by what her ministrations were doing to him. His breathing sped up, and a look of utter bliss was on his face. It made her feel good knowing that the sounds he made were because of her; that the expression he gave and the light sheen of perspiration on his forehead was her doing.

Curiously, she rubbed him lightly through the layers of his clothing, and grinned as he moved his hips. She let one arm curl around his back as he breathed hard into her neck, increasing the pressure ever so slightly.

"Astrid," Hiccup choked out, quickly finding his rational mind falling apart as she continued. He couldn't figure out what he was going to say next, so he left it hanging, dissolving into a groan once more.

Reality smacked him in the face however, when he felt her cool fingers against his skin. Realizing she was fumbling one handed with the belt of his pants, he forced himself to move. With one hand, he snared her wrist, stopping her from going any further.

"What?" Astrid frowned. Her eyes followed him as he pushed himself up onto his elbow, his expression pained.

"We can't do this," Hiccup breathed.

"Why not? You seem like you're having fun."

"I am," he clenched his eyes shut. His body was already protesting the pause in action, but he ignored it. "Believe me, I am. But it's not…right."

Astrid scoffed, causing Hiccup to shake his head. He still hadn't let go of her wrist.

"We aren't married," he said, sounding thoroughly grumpy about that fact. "We aren't even properly courting."

"So marry me," Astrid replied shortly. "That can be arranged."

Hiccup sighed heavily, conflicted about their current situation. He felt her lips at his neck again, and it nearly made him forget about it all and lose himself in instinct, but he wouldn't do that to her. Not like this.

"It's not that simple," he said, pulling away from her completely, sitting up and edging away.

"I want to, and you seem to as well, don't you?" Astrid's voice shifted, and a rare moment of vulnerability showed itself. "You do, don't you?"

Hiccup groaned internally at that. "Of course I do. Gods, I want to…" he shook his head, trying to clear it of all the sinful things running through it at the prospect of getting that close to her. "But…not this way. Not like this."

Astrid huffed and sat up, folding her arms in the process. The whole thing had left her feeling in need of something she couldn't work out, and it irritated her.

They were silent for a while, an awkwardness falling between them. Astrid sat with her knees pulled up under her chin, picking at the grass, while Hiccup stared balefully out over the cliff face.

"So…" Astrid said after a while, having had enough of feeling strange about it all. "I guess I should head home then. It's getting late."

"Yeah," Hiccup agreed. "I suppose I'd better make my bedtime tonight, otherwise Dad might try another stealth attack."

Astrid snickered and moved to stand with a languid stretch.

"Alright. Will I see you tomorrow?"

Hiccup shrugged, expression darkening a little. "Probably not. My '_posture is still off and it won't do for a chief to slouch in front of his allies'_," he spoke in an exaggerated imitation of his father, making Astrid laugh outright, despite her ire.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and catch you when you have some time to spare."

Hiccup just shrugged. She was aware that something about it was bothering him, but honestly, she didn't have the patience right now to deal with it. She felt red-faced and short tempered at that moment, and decided it would probably be better to worry about whatever it was later.

So with a quick kiss to his cheek, and a punch on the arm, Astrid called for her Nadder and climbed onto it's back.

"Come find me when you get some free time then," she hollered over her shoulder, waving before she disappeared behind the outcrop.

Hiccup's smile faded once she'd gone, and he promptly slumped back down on the grass. Toothless, now without a companion, edged on over and flopped his long body down beside his rider. Hiccup leaned back against him with a forlorn sigh.

"Thought she'd be a bit more upset that we can't spend as much time together," he mumbled.

He caught the gleam of one of Toothless's eyes on him, and huffed, the irritation of having to part ways with Astrid becoming outright bitterness once more.

"Don't look at me like that," he said, giving Toothless a shove. "You get snarky too when we can't go flying. It's only gonna get worse from here. I thought at _least_ Astrid would back me up, even a little. I mean, I know she's all gung ho about _'village responsibility'_, but still…"

Toothless just snorted, cuffing Hiccup lightly with his wing. Clearly the dragon found it somewhat amusing when Hiccup was in a mood.

"I don't want to go back there yet," he muttered to himself.

Taking a stick from the ground, Hiccup began to lightly draw in a dirt patch by his feet, still mumbling all the while.

"…all these restrictions and expectations. It's like I don't even have a life anymore. And it's not just affecting me, it's affecting you too, bud."

Toothless peered at Hiccup through one lidded eye on being spoken to, but didn't make a sound otherwise.

"You can't fly without me. I know how much you love being in the air, and it's just…so…ugh. I guess I could always rebuild the automatic tailfin again, so you can fly whenever you want…"

At this, Toothless finally gave an indignant grunt. It was clear what he thought of _that _idea.

Hiccup nearly found himself flat on his back when Toothless suddenly shot upright. His first thought was that some kind of danger was nearby, but upon standing and seeing Toothless's crouched position and wide-eyed expression—the one that said _'get on, loser, we're going flying'_—Hiccup grinned.

"Or we could just go flying whenever I finish for the day and not tell Dad."


End file.
